Master of Science (MSc) Thesis-based, Medical Science

In addition to the Faculty of Graduate Studies requirements and Cumming School of Medicine requirements:

The minimum academic course requirement is normally 6 units at the graduate level in an area that is pertinent to the student’s thesis project and approved by the supervisor and supervisory committee.

Journal Club and Work-in-Progress Seminars

Each student is required to participate regularly in journal club and work-in-progress seminar programs organized by the Department, Institute or Research Group to which the student and supervisor belong. The student will present at least one journal club seminar and one work-in-progress presentation per year.

Research Integrity Day

Research Integrity Day is a Research Ethics session offered several times each year. All graduate students in the Cumming School of Medicine are required to attend Research Integrity Day in the first year of their program as part of their course requirements. See the Graduate Science Education https://cumming.ucalgary.ca/gse/current-students/research-integrity-day for details and to register for the Research Integrity Day session.

Sex and Gender Training Module

The inclusion of Sex and Gender in Research programs is becoming more prominent. All graduate students in the Cumming School of Medicine are required to complete one of the CIHR sex and gender online training modules found at https://www.cihr-irsc-igh-isfh.ca/ within the first year of their program.

Advanced Credit

Applicants must make requests for Advanced Credit as part of the admission process. Credit will not be given for academic course work taken as part of another completed degree/diploma or for courses taken to bring the applicant's grade point average to a required level for admission.

Any credit to be given for courses completed will be included in the letter of offer for admission to the Faculty of Graduate Studies.

Flexible Grade Option (CG Grade)

Students admitted to the graduate programs in the Cumming School of Medicine will not be allowed to request the Flexible Grade Option (CG Grade) for any course that is applicable to their degree; or apply any course awarded a grade of CG towards their graduation requirements.

Students may not choose the CG grade for a course taken extra to load.

The use of the CG grade will affect students’ eligibility for internal awards.

Credit for Undergraduate Courses

Credit may be given for courses taken below the 600 level. At least one half of a graduate student’s course work must be at the 600 level or higher. Students may receive credit for completing a course numbered 500-599 providing that the course is recommended by the supervisory committee and approval is received by the Graduate Program Director.

Time Limit

Completion times follow the Faculty of Graduate Studies regulations (see Time Limits):

Maximum completion time for a thesis-based master’s program is four years. Expected completion time is two and a half years.

Cumming School of Medicine Accelerated Master’s Stream: Students must complete all degree requirements for the thesis-based Master’s within three years of initial registration. Students are expected to complete all degree requirements within 18 months.

Supervisory Assignments

The selection of a graduate supervisor must be by mutual agreement between the student and the faculty member concerned at the time of application to the program and approved by the Graduate Program Director.

Supervisory committees, required for both master’s and doctoral students, are established based upon the needs of the student and the expertise of the committee members, following discussions between the student and the supervisor and approved by the Graduate Program Director. A supervisory committee, consisting of the supervisor and co-supervisor (if applicable), plus two additional members must be in place no later than 3 months after the student’s first registration in the program. Specializations in the MDSC program may have additional requirements.

Research Proposal Requirements

All MSc and PhD students must defend a written research proposal to their supervisory committee. For MSc students, this document must be submitted within 12 months after initial registration in the program. For additional information about the PhD research proposal, refer to: https://www.ucalgary.ca/pubs/calendar/grad/current/wcm.ucalgary.ca/gse/files/gse/csm-candidacy-examination-process-effective-september-1-2015.pdf.

Required Examinations

Thesis Examination

All students in thesis-based programs (MSc and PhD) must successfully pass the Final Thesis Oral Examination (see Thesis Examinations).

All MSc examinations will consist of a 10-minute presentation by the candidate followed by an open oral examination. An MSc student can also elect to do a public seminar prior to the examination; in this case the 10-minute presentation at the beginning of examination can be eliminated.

During these public seminars members of the examining committee will not be permitted to ask questions.

Scheduling of the Examination

All members of the Supervisory Committee must have reviewed the student’s research, including a relevant written sample of the materials related to the thesis, before an examination can be scheduled.

Composition of the Examination Committee

For MSc thesis examinations, the examination committee will consist of the student’s supervisory committee (which includes the supervisor and co-supervisor, if applicable) plus an Internal/External Examiner, who may be internal to the student’s home program. For a doctoral thesis examination, the examination committee will consist of the supervisory committee, an internal/external examiner (who may be internal to the student’s home program), PLUS an external examiner who is external to the University of Calgary. The external examiner must be approved by the program director and the Faculty of Graduate Studies.

Students in thesis-based graduate programs will receive a graduate stipend as outlined in the Cumming School of Medicine Funding Policy and can be found at https://cumming.ucalgary.ca/gse/current-students/student-payments.

Students are expected to apply to external agencies for financial support from scholarships or studentship awards and for University of Calgary Scholarships (see Awards and Financial Assistance section of this Calendar). Possible sources of financial support are listed on the Faculty of Graduate Studies website: https://grad.ucalgary.ca/awards and the Cumming School of Medicine website: https://cumming.ucalgary.ca/gse/current-students/scholarships.